Automatic vehicle-brake.



G. G. COX.

AUTOMATIC VEHICLE BRAKE.

APPLICATION FILED NOV.20, 1912.

Patented Dec. 23, 1913.

NAN \N\ T v. r .l ...la i; y

TA/VENTO Charles C. Cnxf BY m /1 TTORNEY CHARLES C. COX, OF PULASKI,VIRGINIA.

AUTOMATIC VEHICLE-BRAKE.

inseam.

To all whom it may concern.'

Be it known that T, CHARLES C. Cox, a citizen of the United States,residing at Pulaski, in the county of Pulaski and State of Virginia,have invented new and useful Improvements in Automatic Vehicle-Brakes,of which the following is a specification.

The invention has relation to brakes designed most especially for wagonsand automatic in operation to be set when descending grade, therebypreventing the vehicle from crowding or ruiming down the team.

rThe invention provides a novel brake beam having crank portions towhich the brake shoes and the force for setting the brakes are applied,said brake beam being mounted in a manner to turn to admit of the brakesbeing' applied or released accordingly as the vehicle has a tendency tomove forward and crowd the team or is drawn forward.

The invention further consists of the peculiar connections between t-hebrake beam and neck yoke and the connections whereby the set of thebrakes may be fixed by the driver.

The invention consists of the novel features, details of constructionand combination of parts, which hereinafter will be more particularlyset forth, illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and pointed out inthe appended claims.

Referring to the drawings, forming a part of the specilication, Figure 1is a view of a vehicle running gear inverted, showing the same equippedwith an automatic brake mechanism embodying the invention. Fig. 2 is alongitudinal section on the line ca -a2 of Fig. 1, the running gearbeing in normal position. Fig. 3 is a transverse section on the lineg/-g/ of Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is a cross section on the line 5 5 of Fig. 2.

Corresponding and like parts are referred to in the followingdescription, and indicated in all the views of the drawings, by the samereference characters.

The vehicle running gear illustrated is of the type generally employedfor wagons, the same comprising a rear axle and bolster l, rear wheels2, rear hounds 3, front axle and bolster 4, front wheels 5, king bolt 6,a coupling pole or reach 7 and a pole or tongue 8 to which the team ishitched in the accustomed way. In the event of the running gear being ofthe type designed for hauling lumber, poles and beams the rearSpecification of Letters Patent.

Application led November 20, 1912.

Patented Dec. 213, 1913.

Serial No. 732,555.

truck, including the part 1 and adjunctive elements, is adjustable, thepole or reach 7 sliding through the rear hounds 3 and part 1 and beingsecured thereto in the adjusted position in any well known way.

The brake mechanism includes a brake beam which is preferably ofsectional formation and mounted upon the rear hounds 3 in a manner toturn freely. Each section of the brake beam has an outer crank portion 9and an inner arm 10, the two arms 10 being connected by means of a pinor bolt 11 and i'orming therewith an intermediate crank portion withwhich the sectional operating rod is connected. Brake shoes 12 arefitted to the crank portions 9 in position to engage the rear wheels 2.A spring` 13 connected with the intermediate crank of the brake beamserves to normally hold the brake shoesl 12 awa-y from the rear wheels2. The parts are so arranged that a rearward pressure applied to theintermediate crank of the l 1ake beam turns the latter to bring thebrake slices in engagement with the rear wheels. This occurs when thevehicle is descending grade or tends to crowd or run down the team.

The operating rod embodies a plurality of sections 1li, 15 and 16 whichare of such construction as to admit of the operating rod ybeinglengthened or shortened to suit the dist-ance between the front and reartrucks or axles of the running gear. The section 141e extends beneaththe pole or tongue 8 and is held thereto by means of keepers 17. Therear portion of the section 14C is otl'set so as to extend beneath thefront axle 4t to which it is held by means of a keeper 18 which like thekeeper 17 constitutes a guide to direct the front portion of theoperating rod in its movements. The neck yoke 19 is attached to thefront end of the section 1e, which extends beyond the pole or tongue S.The intermediate section 15 is pivotally con nected to the rear end ofthe section 14, as indicated at 20, this being essential to admit of theturning of the front axle or truck for steering. The rear section 16consists of a bar or strap doubled upon itself and receiving the pin orcrank portion 11 in the fold, the upper and lower portions of thesection 16 embracing the section 15 and having a plurality of openingsto register with openings formed in the section 15, whereby the parts 15and 16 may be adjusted to accommodate the distance between the front andrear axles. The section la of the operating rod has ratchet teeth 2l onits under side which are adapted to be engaged by means ot' a shackle 22having connection with a lever 23 which is fulcrumed upon the pole ortongue 8 in position to be readily engaged by the toot of the driver.The lever 23 is mounted upon a pin or bolt 24 supported by means ofplates 25 bolted to opposite sides ot' the pole or tongue S. When theupper end of the lever 23 is depressed the shackle 22 is elevated,thereby engaging one of the teeth 21 and limit-ing the rearward movementof the operating rod and the set or application of the brakes. `When thelever 23 is moved to cause the shackle QQ to clear the toothed portion2l of the operating rod the latter is free to move rearward when thevehicle is descending a grade, thereby resulting in the brakes beingautomatically applied to prevent the vehicle from running upon the team.Vhen the draft is applied to move the vehicle forward the operating rodis moved forward, thereby releasing the brakes, but any tendency of thevehicle to move forward to run down the team causes the operating rod tomove rearwardly and automatically set the brakes.

F rom the foregoing description, taken in connection with theaccompanying drawings, the advantages of the construction and of themethod of operation will be readily apparent to those skilled in the artt0 which the invention appertains, and while I have described theprinciple of operation of the invention, together with the device whichI now consider to be the best embodiment thereof, l desire to have itunderstood that the device shown is merely illustrative, and that suchchanges may be made when desired as are Within the scope of the claimsappended hereto.

Having thus described the invention what is claimed as new, is

l. ln an automatic brake for vehicles in combination with the rearwheels and pole, a brake beam provided with brake shoes arranged toengage the rear wheels, an operating rod extending beneath the pole andhaving connection at its rear end with the brake beam and provided inits length with teeth, a neck yoke connected with the front end ot theoperating rod, a lever mounted upon the pole and having one end withinconvenient reach ot the driver, a shackle connected with the oppositeend of the lever and embracing opposite sides of the pole and having aportion extending beneath the same to engage the toothed portion of theoperating rod.

2. ln an automatic brake for vehicles embodying rear wheels and a poleor tongue, a brake beam provided with brake shoes for engaging the rearwheels, a sectional operating rod arranged beneath the pole and havingconnection at its inner end with the brake beam and provided in itslength with teeth, a neck yoke at the front end 0i' the operating rod, alever mounted upon the pole and having its rear end within convenientreach of the driver, a shackle connected with the front end of the leverand embracing opposite sides of the pole and having a portion extendingbeneath the pole to engage the teeth of the operating rod, and platessecured to the sides of the pole and engaging the side members of theshackle to hold the same in proper position.

in testimony whereof l aiifix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

CHARLES C. COX.

Witnesses ALLEN T. ESKRDGE, Jr.,

N. I. VANCE.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for ve cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents.

Washington, D. C.

